"We're in the Wild Forest!?" I said.

The Elf girl nodded her head while looking at me perplexed.

"This is strange…"

I started to think about how I could go a hundred miles in a blink of an eye. Was I still drunk? Then I realized the mysterious fog that covered the forests had disappeared. That fog must have had something to do with it. But this was still good, it had saved me some time and trouble. I had already reached the Wild Forests, all I had to do was enter the North Mountains.

I looked at the Elf girl and offered my hands.

"May I?" I asked and pointed to her wound.

I grabbed some supplies from my bag which included some bandages and ointment.

The Elf girl sat down on a tree stump while I pulled out the arrow from her arm. I began to dress the wound as I applied some ointment on it. With some of the healing potions she drank, the wound would disappear in no time. The Elf girl still watched me with vigilance and kept her sword close. I didn't mind as I continued to help her.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Demitri." I said.

I knew that I had caused a ruckus with the Elves in the Wild Forest before. That was a long time ago with the Hero and my companions. I know that the Elven King likes to hold long grudges. I just hoped that this girl never heard of my name before. I wouldn't want her to tell them that I entered their forest again.

"My name is Vera." She said.

I gave her a nod and finished bandaging her arm.

"I know these Goblins were after you for some vile purposes," I said. "But it's strange for these Goblins to stray so far away from their homes."

Vera had an expression of anger on her face.

"They're trying to expand their territory." Vera said.

I gave Vera a bewildered look.

"Goblins aren't smart enough to do that," I said. "Even if they did, they would only fight amongst themselves."

"They have a new leader and he calls himself the Goblin King Grux," Vera said. "He united all the Goblins in the Wild Forest."

Vera's hazel eyes met with mine and I could feel the weight of her words.

"What!?" I said as my body became tense.

The Goblins that lived in the Wild Forest were thousands upon thousands. They were able to reproduce quickly and often. They could use females of other races to reproduce with and had often captured them as breeding slaves. The only thing stopping Goblins from spreading were their stupidity and independence from others. There has never been a true leader for the Goblins in the Wild Forest ever.

"That's insane." I said.

"It's true and they've already captured half the Elven lands in the Wild Forest."

"How?" I asked.

"The Goblin King Grux, not only did he unite the Goblins but he's powerful himself." Vera replied.

"A Goblin!?"

"Yes, I witnessed it firsthand," Vera said. "He's skilled with not only swordsmanship but with strategy."

There was a bitter expression that covered Vera's face.

"He destroyed my home and killed the Alderan Guards." Vera said.

"Alderan has fallen!?" I said.

Vera nodded her head and showed a hint of sadness.

"I'm the last one left, I ran away as his followers took my friends and family."

This was beyond ridiculous and utterly insane. Alderan was the home to the Elites of the Elven military, The Alderan Guards. It was a place that created and raised most of their Elite Elven soldiers. If that place had fallen to the Goblins it would be a matter of time before they go into Human territory. This would mean that the Elven race in the Wild Forest were doomed.

This was too strange of an occurrence. The Goblin King Grux seemed totally abnormal but it doesn't look like Vera was lying. The pain and anger in her eyes told me she was telling the truth. I couldn't go into the North Mountains just yet anymore. I had to deal with the situation at hand.

"You said it was the result of only one Goblin?"

"Yes."

"The Goblin King, where is he now?"

"Why?"

Vera looked hesitant to tell me.

"I must stop him before he tries and spread his wings out of the Wild Forests." I said.

"Are you a fool?" Vera said. "He'll kill you, you're only asking to die!"

"Perhaps I am but I can't just sit here and wait while he leads a march of death through the Wild Forest and beyond." I said.

My tone and demeanor was full of confidence as I looked at Vera.

"What can a single man do against a horde of Goblins?" She said.

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Vera had a worried face as she couldn't believe my words.

"I don't need to fight a horde," I said. "I just need to kill Grux."

I held onto the hilt of my sword as I tried to convince Vera.

"Without a leader, the group falls apart." I said.

My words seem to bring up the painful memories in my heart.

"Okay, but if you really plan on doing this, I might as well go with you." Vera said.

"Why? Didn't you say it was suicide?" I asked.

"I'm going to be honest," Vera replied. "I'm going to use you as a distraction while I try to free as many Elves as I can."

"That's fine." I said.

I gave Vera a nod and confirmed that I would help her in that regard at least.

I understood what Vera was thinking. If there was a maniac who planned to fight against an army of Goblins, she was going to use it to her advantage somehow. I didn't know if I could kill this Goblin King but I knew that I could cause a distraction. I would try to buy some time for Vera to sneak in and grab as many of her brethren as possible.

"Okay, so where is he?" I asked.

Vera crossed her arms and looked down.

"East of here, near a river, he only has a small following…"

"That's actually great news." I said.

"Of a thousand Goblins."

I gave Vera bitter smile.

It was unheard of, for even that many Goblins to be together let alone united. Yet, that was only a small following for the Goblin King. I knew that there were many more Goblins in the Wild Forest. This might be the only chance I have to fight against the Goblin King. But my mind and body couldn't help but feel nervous at the situation.

I had planned to fight a Demon Lord and here I was, afraid of a horde of Goblins. The Demon Lord could blink and that number of Goblins could be reduced to ashes. This doesn't even include the rest of the Demons and the followers that belonged to the Demon Lord. The prospects of fighting the new Demon lord was a guaranteed step to death compared to a horde of Goblins.

Still, I had to fight and make sure all these future problems of humanity won't come to light. I had killed the Hero and gotten rid of a savior who would've taken care of these tasks easily. My companions too, had broken apart and I even ended some of their lives. This cause was my own creation and I had to prevent it. There would be few to pity me in my plight.

"Lead the way" I said.

Vera stood up and sheathed her sword. Standing next to her, I could tell how tall and slender she was. The Elven girl went over to a body of a dead goblin and took off his breastplate. She began to wear it under her cloak for protection. Vera understood the seriousness of the situation. After she finished, she started moving east of where we were located.

I followed behind Vera as we went through the twist and turns of the Wild Forest. She obviously knew her way around the forest pretty well. Soon we had gotten close to a river but she stopped me from going any further. She pointed toward a direction and I kept behind her, not trying to make a sound. It looked like Vera was trying to lead us to a higher vantage point.

We arrived up the river around a small cliff. We pressed ourselves down to the ground and peeked down the river. I was able to see them, a horde of a thousand Goblins. They all camped near the river and concentrated together like a military force. It was strange, these Goblins could never have that kind of insight before.

The Goblins even built camps and had makeshift walls up. Goblins were only known to build the most basic of things. They often lived in ruins of other places or caves that they claimed. These Goblins had become so human-like. They had guards, did patrols, and looked to be training in formations. Was this because of the Goblin King and his influence?

My gaze moved to Vera and she looked angry as she bit her lip. My vision moved back down the river and I saw some Goblins with Elven women. There seemed to be a side of the encampment reserved for prisoners. My hands balled up into fists as I saw what they were doing. The Goblins were using the Elven women to fulfill their lustful desires. There was a flock of Elven women and many Goblins surrounded them waiting for their turn.

I looked at Vera and grabbed her on the shoulder.

She looked at me and I could see the feeling of helplessness on her face.

"We'll free them," I said. "I'll kill the Goblin King."